CANDIED FRUITCAKE

Candied Fruitcake image

I discovered that candied fruit likes getting soused with currants or dates, and that it isn't fussy about the medium: sherry, rum or Cognac all make it happy. And the trick to baking with it is simple: use the good stuff and use it judiciously. Fold just enough diced peel and choice cherries into a batter with chopped dates and spice and watch the tone and texture lighten up. No one would dream of calling this fruitcake.

Provided by Kay Rentschler

Time 1h30m

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chopped pitted dates
1/4 cup chopped candied citron (more for decorating)
1/4 cup chopped candied orange peel (more for decorating)
1/4 cup chopped candied lemon peel (more for decorating)
1/4 cup candied cherries (more for decorating)
1/2 cup hot brewed coffee, preferably espresso
1/4 cup Cognac
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature (more for greasing pan)
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Steps:

Combine dates and candied fruit in a small bowl; pour coffee and brandy over them, and stir to combine. Cover and macerate 6 hours or overnight.
Place oven rack in lowest position and large roasting pan on rack. Fill pan halfway with hot water. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch tube pan. Stir flour, mace, cinnamon, cloves, salt, baking powder and soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
In mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 40 seconds. Scrape down bowl, add brown sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.
With machine on low speed, add dry ingredients, and mix just to combine. Mix in dates, fruit and macerating liquid. Turn batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Bake in water bath until cake has risen and top is brown, about an hour. Remove cake from oven, cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes, turn out of pan right-side up onto rack and cool completely.
Heat sugar with 1 tablespoon water to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer until syrup thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Arrange slices of candied fruit on top of cake, and brush with syrup.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 305, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 47 grams, Fat 11 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 214 milligrams, Sugar 23 grams, TransFat 0 grams

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